Eren's transformation continued as he absorbed the essence of the Celestial Dragon's heart.
The power that was infiltrating his bloodline felt intoxicating, as if he was getting more and more drunk on his power with each passing second.
For someone who used to drink quite a lot on earth, this wasn't an unfamiliar phenomenon. The only difference was that the amount of intoxication was too much.
He hadn't even finished half of Celestial Dragon's heart yet he had already become more drunk than he was ever in his life. He was even starting to feel a little light headed, his body starting to sweat.
As the last remnants of the heart vanished inside his mouth, Eren felt another change through his body. His senses expanded, reaching out far beyond the confines of the floor.
He was able to see through the carnage of the other floors. The first floor was the only place that looked somewhat intact, if one was to ignore the walls that he had broken while chasing after the Celestial Dragon's Soul.
He was able to see the Sea Dragon Empress who was still trying to find her way through the maze after having been sent to a different part of the maze by the Celestial Dragon's Soul.
The new ability, Ruler of the Oceans, had also become a part of him as the new perfected Celestial Dragon. The Ocean had become a part of his domain. As long as he was within the ocean, all his abilities were stronger than they were on the land.
He could feel the ocean's vastness within his heart, its depths calling to him. It was something that felt both alien and familiar. The power to command the sea was at his fingertips, being the biggest gift he had recieved from the Celestial Dragon's heart.
It was also this ability that had made the Celestial Dragon so formidable in the past. If the Celestial Dragon's Soul was in the ocean, he was certain that he would've had a harder time to deal with it.
"The person who brought the heart here on land... Did he already know it?" Eren wondered as he removed his transformation, leaving him standing amidst the empty floor where not even a single glimpse of the Celestial Dragon's heart could be found.
Eren wiped his lips clean, which still had some trace of blood. His eyes were still hazy as the world felt like it was shaking a little.
It was a feeling different from when he was hurt by spatial travel. It felt strange. It was not uncomfortable at all. If anything, he felt like he was floating in the air, his body feeling like it was in a perfect state.
"Another dream, huh." Eren shook his head lightly, watching Xiu Ying observe the room.
"Did you find the Celestial Dragon's Heart?" she asked Eren.
Eren didn't think much about it either. It was his dream, so it made sense for Xiu Ying to know about his goal in coming here.
"It is a part of me now." Eren placed his hand on his chest lightly. "From now on, I am the Celestial Dragon."
Xiu Ying looked at Eren silently. It was impossible to comprehend just what she was thinking about. She simply looked at Eren, his mind being at a loss.
"In that case, there is no other choice." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm herself.
She walked closer to Eren who still thought that he was in a dream, not realizing that the person in front of him wasn't Xiu Ying but an entirely different woman.
Her expressions were a little hesitant as if she was scared a little. At the same time, she appeared embarrassed.
"To break the seal, I have to..." She opened her eyes that looked more determined now.
Now that Eren had become a Celestial Dragon, there were only two ways to break the seal. One was to kill him and take his heart. She didn't think that she was strong enough to select that option.
Moreover, with the Celestial Dragon on her side, the future of the Sea Dragons was extremely bright. Eren was already a descendant after all.
Taking his heart was no different than betraying the Celestial Dragons again which might lead her kin down the path of getting an even stronger seal.
The only option she had was to accept the Celestial Dragon's essence that he granted willingly. Once her shackles were broken, her people could also be free.